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The Presidents of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia discussed strengthening defense and energy resilience

President of the Republic of Lithuania

July 04, 2025

President Gitanas Nausėda met with Estonian President Alar Karis and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in Tallinn. During the meeting, they discussed the security situation in the region and joint actions to strengthen defense and energy resilience.

During the meeting, the three Presidents discussed joint initiatives implemented by the Baltic States and Poland—namely, the Baltic Defense Line and the Eastern Shield—which aim to protect the external borders of NATO and the EU. The countries are calling on the European Union to recognize these projects as serving the common European interest and to allocate appropriate funding.

The Lithuanian leader emphasized that the shared ambition of the Baltic countries is clear: to deepen transatlantic ties and ensure that the U.S. military presence in the region remains strong. According to Gitanas Nausėda, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are committed to taking swift action following the decisions adopted at the NATO Summit in The Hague. He noted that Lithuania currently allocates 4% of its GDP to defense and will increase that to over 5% next year.

The President stressed that Lithuania, like Estonia and Latvia, remains a staunch supporter of Ukraine, and that peace in Europe is impossible without a free, sovereign, and victorious Ukraine. "Our joint commitment is unwavering: we must sustain and increase military assistance, impose strong and painful 18th package of sanctions, mobilize frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's reconstruction, and remain firm in our call for Ukraine's membership in NATO and the EU."

The Presidents discussed the progress of the Rail Baltica project. The Lithuanian leader highlighted its importance for military mobility and stressed the need for continued joint efforts to secure EU funding in the next multiannual financial framework.

On the topic of energy resilience, President Gitanas Nausėda proposed exploring the potential of the Baltic countries jointly purchasing liquefied natural gas from the United States, pointing out that this would help lower gas prices and bring stability.

In the evening, the President of Lithuania, along with the leaders of Estonia and Latvia, will attend the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Festival in Estonia.

The President's Communication Group